Chosen, Redeemed, Sealed: Praising God for Our Inheritance

Paul launches Ephesians 1:3–14 with a single breathless sentence of praise. It begins and ends with blessing God because, in Christ, the Father has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing we need. All the good God gives comes to us in and through Jesus—salvation, adoption, redemption, sanctification, and a future we could never produce on our own. Learning these truths shouldn’t leave us cold. Doctrine is meant to lift our hearts. What we know should lead to worship.

We wrestled honestly with the language of election and predestination, not to argue, but to adore. Scripture clearly holds two truths at once: God sovereignly chooses and draws, and people must personally respond in faith. We don’t flatten one to save the other; we live in the holy tension, humbly acknowledging that God’s ways are higher than ours. This isn’t a puzzle to win; it’s a mystery to praise. It crushes boasting and grows gratitude.

In Christ we are made “holy and blameless.” That means more than “forgiven.” He removes not only our guilt but the stain of our sin. Confess quickly, repent honestly, and then refuse to wear shame for what God has already cleansed. Don’t let the enemy rehearse what Jesus has already erased.

We rejoice in redemption through his blood. We were not mildly misguided; we were slaves to sin—by birth, by defeat, and by debt. Jesus paid the full price to buy us back at his own cost. If our view of sin is small, our praise will be small; if we rightly see our rescue, worship erupts.

God has also made known to us the mystery of his will—what prophets longed to see and angels desired to understand. Christ is the center of it all: by him all things were made, in him all things hold together, and through him all things will be brought to peace. In him we’ve received an inheritance we taste now but will fully enjoy later. Until that day, the Holy Spirit seals us as the down payment—God’s own signature guaranteeing he will finish what he started.

So place your hope in Christ—not in religious habits, family heritage, or even your grasp of theology. You’ve been bought at a great price and sealed by the Spirit. Let truth lead you to praise, and let praise shape a holy life.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Every blessing is found in Christ. All that the Father gives comes to us through the Son. We don’t need to hunt for secret techniques or spiritual shortcuts; we need deeper union with Jesus. When we seek him, we find the wisdom, strength, and comfort required for life and godliness. Christ himself is the blessing behind every blessing.
• 2. Election and response held in tension. God initiates; we respond. Holding both truths protects humility and urgency—humility because salvation is grace from start to finish, urgency because people must still believe. Mystery here is not a problem to solve but a place to worship. Let gratitude replace debate, and let hope fuel prayer and witness.
• 3. Holy and blameless, shame no more. In Christ, forgiveness is not probation; it’s cleansing. Confess quickly, receive mercy, and stop letting forgiven sins name you. When old accusations return, answer them with Christ’s righteousness, not your resolve. Identity before activity—let who you are in him shape how you live.
• 4. Sealed by the Spirit for glory. The Spirit’s seal is God’s promise in your present and his guarantee for your future. Security in Christ is not a license to drift; it’s fuel for endurance. Suffering and temptation lose their final word because glory is coming. Live today with tomorrow’s certainty, and let hope steady your obedience and your praise.

1. As you read the passage, what phrases or words does Paul repeat that point to where blessings come from? Which verse(s) show that most clearly?
2. List the specific blessings Paul names in verses 3–14 (for example: chosen, adopted, redeemed, sealed). Which one stands out to you and why?
3. Where in the passage does Paul point to timing (when God acted) and to present reality (what believers already have)? Give one example of each from the text.
4. According to the passage, when does the Holy Spirit come to a person (see verse 13)? How does Paul describe the Spirit’s role there?

1. How would a person reconcile Paul’s claim that God “chose us before the foundation of the world” (v.4) with the repeated biblical call for people to “believe” and “come” (as noted in the sermon)? What tension does Paul hold together, and what attitude toward that tension does he commend?
2. In what sense does being made “holy and blameless” (v.4) go beyond simply being “forgiven”? What does Paul mean by that phrase, and how does that change the way a believer should think about past sins?
3. Paul says we are “redeemed through his blood” (v.7) and that we “have received an inheritance” (v.11). How do these images (purchase and inheritance) shape the way a Christian should respond in worship and gratitude?
4. What does Paul intend by calling the Holy Spirit a “seal” and a “down payment” (v.13–14)? How should that description affect a believer’s confidence and endurance in suffering or temptation?

1. Doctrine should lead to worship. Choose one truth from Ephesians 1:3–14 (for example: election, adoption, redemption, sealed by the Spirit). How will you practice turning that truth into praise this week? Be specific (a moment of thanksgiving, journaling one sentence each morning, a short Psalm prayed aloud, etc.).
2. The sermon urged holding election and human response in tension. Identify one person in your life who does not know Christ. What is one concrete next step you will take this week to pray for them and to share the gospel with urgency and humility?
3. When guilt or shame about a past sin returns, the sermon said to “answer them with Christ’s righteousness.” What brief Scripture or truth will you memorize or speak to yourself the next time that shame comes back? (Write it down and share if you feel comfortable.)
4. Paul says we are sealed by the Spirit “when you believed.” How does this affect a present fear you have (fear about the future, suffering, or your standing before God)? Name that fear and then describe one practical action you will take this week to live in the assurance of the Spirit’s seal (for example: confess and move on, practice a truth-centered prayer, tell a friend who will pray with you).
5. The sermon warned against putting hope in habits, family heritage, or knowledge instead of in Christ. Scan your weekly rhythms (church attendance, Bible reading, family faith practices). Identify one habit or thing you’re tempted to trust in more than Christ. What specific step will you take to re-root your hope in Christ this month?
6. Because Christ has “bought us back,” worship should be bigger. Plan one concrete way you will express renewed worship this week (sing with more intention, give financially, serve someone sacrificially, write a short note of thanks to Jesus in your journal). When will you do it?
7. The Spirit is described as the “down payment” guaranteeing future glory. Name one trial or temptation you are currently facing. How would remembering the Spirit’s guarantee change the way you respond in that situation? What is one small, practical next step you will take because of that reminder?